Thursday, July 24, 2014

Wandering Toes--Hilton Head, South Carolina

Yeah, I constantly whine about soulless suburbanites forever toiling in their precious yards like serfs bound to some medieval warlord. For me, life begins and ends with the sun rising above the ocean accompanied with a soft breeze. Hilton Head is not my favorite beach by a long shot, but I always hold to the Buffett-inspired philosophy that a bad day at the beach always beats the best possible day at work. This family vacation started Sunday afternoon but we didn't really get into the relaxation groove until Monday morning.    

This might be weird, but I've always had a fascination with abandoned sandcastles, it's either the writer in me or my interest in archeology. I find myself wondering what the builders were thinking as they filled buckets of sand to construct towers and dug trenches for moats. Did the creators of that fortress fight off invading hordes or did it fall to the efforts of gallant freedom fighters wishing to free the oppressed? I also have a tendency to equate sandcastles with the inherent transitory nature of human civilization. 

Last time we were at Hilton Head my daughter, Darth Wiggles, and I did a little crabbing. Like the last time we caught one highly irate blue crab who we quickly released back into the waters of Broad Creek.

Did a ghost tour of Savannah, Georgia last night, it was awesome if a little too tame for my wife and me. A few too many stories of "nice" spirits and ghosts. As for the sign, it was in front of Barracuda Bob's restaurant, a nice place and I recommend the Cuban sandwich. As for the statement, I find it debatable, see one of my ex-girlfriends from many years ago was so cold she could freeze the surface of Venus. Deficient on planetary knowledge? Well Freezing Venus would be quite the accomplishment.   
A brief video featuring Shannon Tanner, a truly outstanding singer and performer. He's playing in Shelter Cove area of Hilton Head for most of the summer.

5 comments:

Marja said...

That top picture is gorgeous I love the beach it is so relaxing to walk on the beach listening to the waves.
I love sand castles too. When the kids were young we build lots of them, without any of the thoughts you suggested :)
Great to have some good time with wriggles

Rose L said...

Every year they have a sand sculpture contest at the coast here in Oregon, and I have not been to it yet!!! I am hoping next year to go and photograph the amazing creations. I have never been to Hilton Head. I do not mind visiting the coast but my preference is a soft, alluring, gentle forest.

Commander Zaius said...

Marja: Yeah, I figured the pretend battles were all in my head.

Rose: I will tell you one thing about Hilton Head the travel board would never mention. Out of all the beaches I have ever visited Hilton Head shores can be the most windless. Add to that the South Carolina humidity and they can become almost unbearable.

Still though, I'd rather be at a windless beach than Columbia, South Carolina. I spent about a half-hour in a hammock this morning plotting nothing less than revolution and then moving back to the coast.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Ahhhhh, the beach. My favorite place in the world, regardless of weather. But come on! You only caught ONE crab? Ya musta lost your touch, dude...

Have fun! That first picture is gorgeous.

Pixel Peeper said...

Two things I regret about the seven years we lived in South Carolina: 1 - We didn't visit Charleston often enough, and 2 - We didn't visit Hilton Head often enough.

There's just something about the smell of salty air and the soothing sound of the waves that will set your head straight. I remember visiting Myrtle Beach one time, just for a weekend, only to come back and quit a stressful job that had just become too unbearable. I don't necessarily recommend doing that, but it worked out really well for me.

Love the pictures of the beach! Well, and the sign about the cold beer is pretty funny, too... :-)